


Understanding

by StarTravel



Series: Stages [8]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Dom/sub, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Handcuffs, Kink Negotiation, M/M, POV Elim Garak, Post-Episode: s03e07 Civil Defense, Trust Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 03:05:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19348234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarTravel/pseuds/StarTravel
Summary: Julian trusts Garak in a way no one else has in a long time.





	Understanding

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta’d for now.

Garak can feel every ridge down his spine, sharper and slightly more engorged than usual as the emotions rush through him at a pace he can’t quite control. Oh, of course he can on the _outside_ , expression perfectly pleasant in that way that makes everyone except Julian keep a healthy distance.

But inside he’s burning, tendrils of fury that Dukat can go home and he can’t mixing with the sharp relief that they didn’t all end up dead because of said man’s incompetence.

More than that, seeing Dukat reminded Garak of what he doesn’t have: trust. Not from Dukat - because what a mark on his character _that_ would be - but from Cardassia itself. Everything Garak has done has been for the betterment of Cardassia, but the people of his home don’t believe that. They look at him and see a traitor.

 Garak knows his loyalties in his own heart and that’s enough to keep him going, but that doesn’t mean the reminder of how he’s misunderstood doesn’t hurt. 

Garak needs a release, needs to feel alive, to feel something besides this tension of keeping his emotions just under the surface. Anything.

 Still, Garak doesn’t even realize where he’s going until he finds himself in front of Julian’s quarters. He enters the access code quickly, sliding through the doors and sauntering across the living room with a familiarity that should worry him.

 He finds Julian in the bathroom, toothbrush in hand and uniform half undone. His eyes widen in the mirror across from Garak, mouth hanging open slightly. But there’s no fear in his gaze, no tension in his frame at having his quarters so easily invaded. Garak has never met such a brilliant fool before.

 Julian turns around, crossing his arms against his chest as he leans back against the sink, long legs stretched out in front of him with his ankles crossed. His voice manages to be low and flirtatious even as a spark of concern enters his gaze. “Garak, what are you doing here? Are there more issues with the security systems?”

 “Of course not, Doctor. I just wanted to see if you were alright. We had quite the scare today.” Garak assures him as he steps inside the bathroom, his own voice sweet and honeyed as he starts to roughly tug at either side of Julian’s shoulders, his uniform sliding down his arms with ease.

Julian shrugs out of the shirt when they reach his wrists, letting the jacket fall to the floor behind them. For once Garak doesn’t chide him to pick it up and fold it.

 “How kind of you, Garak, but I’m quite alright. It wasn’t my first near death experience out here, you know.” Julian practically purrs into his ear as he takes a step forward, mouth soft and inviting where it brushes against the shell of his ear. He undoes the first few buttons of Garak’s shirt, hands lingering on ridges as he makes his way down. “You’re looking rather tense, though.”

 “I can’t say seeing Dukat ever puts me in a good mood.” Garak murmurs with a hint of a sigh, pursing his lips a bit at the name and wrinkling his nose. The man’s name alone is enough to make it seem like there was a bad smell in the room. Julian laughs at his expression, bright and ringing in a way that fills the small space of his bathroom. Then he goes back to mouthing the ridges along Garak’s neck as he finishes unbuttoning his shirt.

 Garak takes a step back and gives Julian a warning look when he tries to follow, resisting the urge to smile when he starts to pout. Garak instead keeps his expression stern as he takes off his own shirt, folding it carefully without glancing at Julian.

 Garak doesn’t look up until he feels a hand on his cheek, and glances up to find hooded, needy eyes staring back at him. Julian smirks in a way that’s too eager to truly be devil may care, voice entirely too pleased with himself. “And you’re looking for a way to relieve that tension, I take it?”

 Garak can’t actually hold back a light snicker at that one, sliding a hand over the one on his cheek. He uses the other to grip the top of Julian’s waistband, undoing the first latch with just his thumb. “Tell me, Doctor, have these lines ever worked on anyone?”

 “They seem to be working just fine on you.” Julian says pointedly as he glances down at where Garak’s hands still rest at his hips. His eyes flash mischievously, a challenge and a question at once and Garak has no problem answering either. He roughly rugs on Julian’s pants, pulling them down to mid thigh before he takes a step back.

 Garak raises an eye ridge pointedly, glancing down at where the material sat hunched up against Julian’s knees. Julian shimmies the rest of the way out of them, gracefully moving in the small space between Garak and his shower. He wonders when Julian started trusting him enough to forget to be clumsy.

 Garak takes a step forward, palming Julian’s ass with one hand, feeling the soft skin and smooth curve that was so alien to the ridges of a cardassian body. Then he squeezes roughly, pulling a low moan from Julian’s mouth. “Impudent.”

 “Hmm, then maybe you should teach me some manners.” Julian drawls in a low voice as he leans in, plastering his body against Garak’s. He nuzzles the side of his neck, pressing his mouth along some of the more sensitive ridges there. Garak lets out a low huff, squeezing Julian’s ass again.

 “Maybe I will.” Garak whispers into the shell of his ear before biting down on it, sharp but not enough to risk there being any blood. His hands slide up from Julian’s ass to grip his hips again instead, pushing him back through the open door and towards his bedroom.

 “Garak!” Julian cries, though he sounds more delighted than shocked. Garak shoves him onto the bed, watching as Julian bounces up and down against the sheets for a few moments, already hard. Garak crouches down over him, leaning over to undo his belt. Garak slides his pants off and folds them quickly, gaze never leaving Julian’s.

 He still holds that eye contact as he crosses the room to Julian’s closet, glancing around the frankly disorganized pile of toys before he finds what he’s looking for. Handcuffs, firm enough to hold someone in place, but with a plush lining on the inside. Garak holds them up in one hand, eyes flashing as he crawls over Julian on the bed. “Color?”

 The color system is something the Federation has come up with for these kinds of games, red meaning stop, yellow meaning to stop and discuss the scene, and green meaning go. Cardassia has its own system of course, but given that it involved several clicking sounds and ridge movements that Julian isn’t physically capable of mimicking, Garak is happy to use the Federation’s slightly inferior system instead.

 Julian smiles at him, wide and crooked as he takes in the handcuffs. He stretches his arms out toward the headboard, gaze shining with anticipation as his hips thrust upward slightly. “Oh, a very bright green, I assure you -“

 Garak cuts him off with a fierce kiss, biting his lip sharply before he pulls his mouth back. Julian’s eyes are hooded as he leans back against his mattress, letting out a low moan. Garak smiles at him sharply before grabbing his hips and tugging at them until Julian gets the message, flipping over so he’s flat on his stomach.

 Garak takes a moment to admire the lean muscles and the smooth, unmarked skin. He brushes a hand down his back, counting the vertebrae as he kisses each one up Julian’s spine. Then Garak’s takes Julian’s right wrist and carefully slides it under the metal cuff, before attaching the chain to one side of Julian’s headboard. Garak moves so he’s kneeling around Julian’s thighs as he takes his left hand and does the same.

 Julian flexes his wrists against the bonds a few times, craning his neck back to give Garak a look of approval. Garak smiles softly, leaning over to press a kiss to the back of his neck. Then he gently presses Julian’s head back down against his pillow. Julian lets out an unhurried sigh as Garak kisses the space between his shoulder blades, one that quickly turns into a whimper when Garak bites at the skin there.

 He near growls as he bites his way down Julian’s back, grip growing more firm as he holds Julian’s writhing body against his. Garak presses a kiss on the base of his spine, and then a more bruising one just above Julian’s hipbone, careful to listen for any signs of discomfort. Julian lets out a few sounds, moans mixed with whimpers as his hips buck as much as they can in the narrow space between Garak’s body and the bed. The sight makes him evert a few inches, already dripping.

 Garak lets out a possessive groan as he pushes Julian’s hips back down, roughly gripping them and holding them in place. Julian tries and fails to wriggle free from his grip, twisting his neck around to meet his gaze as he lets out another moan. His face is flushed with a mixture of desire and exertion and Garak can’t help feeling a little proud.

 Garak presses a sharp bite to the curve of Julian’s ass, where the skin is the softest. Julian whimpers again, mumbling Garak’s names as he starts nipping and kissing everywhere except where Julian would like him to. Garak glances down to see precome dripping against the sheets and everts the rest of the way.

 “You really are eager, aren’t you?” Garak asks, only getting a muffled ‘yes’ for an answer.  Julian tries to buck his hips again, and Garak gives his ass a quick slap, Julian letting out a sound that’s half gasp and half laughter. Garak watches as the skin turns a soft pink, brushing a thumb along the edge of Julian’s skin. Then he leans back, running his fingers over himself until they’re covered with his natural lubricant.

 Garak presses a finger into Julian at a painfully slow pace, pushing past the tight rings as Julian let out another whimper. Garak glances up at him curiously and Julian nods excitedly, straining his arms against the cuffs futilely.

 Garak knows that look, the desperate pleas, not only to be touched but to be sure he’s giving Garak pleasure too. Garak gives him a reassuring smile as he slides another finger inside, pace suddenly growing much rougher as he twists inside. Julian gasps in a mixture of pain and pleasure, throwing his head back as the chains rattle slightly against the headboard.

 “Still green.” Julian assures him, voice raspy and filled with need as tilts his hips up as much as possible. This time Garak doesn’t object, instead quickening his pace as he slips a third finger inside. Julian lts out a guttural cry when Garak brushes against his prostate, body shaking. Garak smirks and lunges his fingers in a few more times, savoring the feeling of Julian’s body writhing just from his fingers.

 Then he pulls them out completely, snorting a bit when Julian lets out a whimper at being empty. Garak lines himself up with Julian, carefully bending the other man’s legs so Julian’s on his hands and knees. Garak watches him tremble, beads of sweat sliding down his back. He’s utterly bewitching like this. “Is this all right?”

 “Stop teasing and fuck me already, Garak!” Julian snaps in a heated voice, pushing his hips back as much as he can given his position. Garak doesn’t need to be told twice, sliding inside of Julian in one go until he fills him to the hilt. Then he simply waits, groaning at the warm pleasure around him and the way Julian gasps and pulls at his cuffs. “Garak, please.”

 “Only because you ask so nicely.” Garak murmurs into his ear, his own voice starting to take on a panting quality as he pulls out, only to thrust back in hard and fast. Julian writhes beneath him, mouth thrown back in a silent scream as Garak picks up his pace.

 Garak gasps as he rocks back and forth inside of Julian, at the feel his body against his own, warm and soft. He could stay like this for hours, but he can feel the way Julian is shaking and knows anything more than a few more minutes would be cruel.

Garak gives a particularly sharp thrust against Julian’s prostate, the other man letting out a low moan as he finally stills beneath him, shoulders tensing and then releasing just as suddenly when he collapses against the mattress.

 The sight stirs something in Garak, who thrusts a few more times into Julian and then comes with a gasp that’s barely more than a whisper, body plastered across Julian’s back for a few seconds. Then they both tumble to the mattress below, Garak carefully turning them to their sides before he ends up stabbing a ridge into Julian. Julian lets out a panting laugh, eyes blown as he twists the chains around a bit. Garak presses a soft kiss to his forehead, mouthing a ‘thank you’ against his skin.

Several minutes pass in a peaceful silence that Garak knows he’s let get far too comfortable, Julian lying against the sheets with a dazed expression. Garak murmurs soft nothings to him as he undoes the handcuffs, setting them aside as he takes in Julian’s wrists. Enhanced or not, the skin there is still fragile, still human and Garak worries despite the plush velvet lining his cuffs.

 Julian looks up at him, gaze suddenly snapping back into awareness. “You did the right thing, you know. With Dukat’s father.”

 “My dear doctor, you have no idea what I did.” Garak chides him in a low voice. Garak reaches into Julian’s night stand, grasping for some of the aloe he’s stashed away there since they started the physical side of their relationship. Garak spreads some of the lotion across his palms, and then he takes Julian’s right wrist between his hands.

 “No, but I know you’re an honorable man, at least when it comes to the welfare of Cardassia.” Julian meets his gaze with a steady one of his own, the sincerity in his eyes nearly making Garak exhale with a relief he can’t quite place. Garak thinks Julian’s unrelenting faith in him is one of the things he likes the most about him.

 It’s a trust Garak has rarely been granted by anyone. It’s not a trust in him on a personal level - not even Julian is so naive anymore - but something far better and more precious. It’s an understanding of who and what Garak is on a much deeper level.

 He’s a tool for the state, a loyal son of Cardassia before all else. And even though Garak’s actions don’t align with Julian’s own moral rigidity, he accepts Garak’s own beliefs all the same.

 It’s not an understanding Garak thinks Julian would admit to if pressed, but he appreciates that it’s there all the same. Garak massages his wrist, making soothing circles against the malleable skin. “I wasn’t worried about that, but thank you, my dear.”

 “Of course.” Julian murmurs in a soft voice, gaze soft and affectionate. Garak gently lets go of his right wrist to grip his left instead, slowly rubbing circles into the slightly reddened skin there. He’ll work on Julian’s shoulders next, massaging whatever tension might be lingering there so they don’t end up stiff in the morning. Julian glances down at where Garak holds his hand, biting his lip and looking almost guilty. “You don’t have to do this part, you know, if it’s not Cardassian. I know humans can seem rather fragile, but really I’m not and I don’t want you to think -“

Garak cuts him off with a kiss again, affectionate and tender and almost cruel in its gentleness. He reminds himself to lecture Julian later for assuming aftercare is a strictly Federation practice, as though all Cardassian are selfish lovers.

 “Julian, this isn’t helping.” Garak chides instead for now, pressing another soft kiss to his forehead before he can protest. Julian finally nods as he sinks back against his pillows, gaze open and vulnerable in a way Garak’s sure he doesn’t deserve.

This time neither of them ask if he’s staying the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Questions and comments are loved!
> 
> Please let me know if you think anything else needs to be tagged!


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